Specialist North East recruitment consultancy, Concept Personnel, has relocated to be closer to the growing digital community on Tyneside.
Concept has moved from Newcastle city centre to larger offices in Baltimore House, in Gateshead’s fast-emerging Baltic Quarter.
The building is already home to dozens of start-up and high-growth digital and tech companies, many of whom are existing Concept clients.
Nearby, there is also PROTO, a unique hi-tech research and design facility – established by Gateshead Council, which opened its doors last year and is the first of its kind in Europe. The centre aims to help manufacturers trial new products. Gateshead College, also based nearby, recently became the official education partner to PROTO.
Erin Kirtley, regional manager of Concept, said: “Relocation has been on our agenda for a while. It makes so much sense for us to be closer to a natural client base. The emerging Baltic Quarter has become such a dynamic area in the last year or so and it was just too tempting to ignore.
“It’s a perfect location for us and anyone working in the digital, tech and creative industries. We have built our reputation supporting these sectors, so it makes so much sense to be closer to the action.
“There’s great infrastructure, support and a learning environment. Gateshead Council and the local college have taken such a proactive approach to supporting the sectors and we intend to be on hand to lend our expertise to the expected growth in jobs and skills in the area.”
Concept has been in business for more than 17 years and that success is due to the long-standing relationships the consultancy has with clients – covering creative, digital and marketing companies across the North East, Scotland and more recently from a new office in Milton Keynes where founder Jo Carter is now based.
Erin added: “We take the time and trouble to understand candidates and the companies we work with to solve problems instead of just getting bums on seats. Everyone at Concept has been hired for their commercial experience within the creative, digital or marketing sectors. As we understand the industry, we can introduce other relevant partners and formulate other potentially beneficial relationships beyond our own.”